Folding crate.



Patented Aug. 26,, I902.

s. GREER & J. H. GORE.

FOLDING CRATE.

(Application filed 1360.30, 1901.)

2 Sheets-$heot I.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES.-

5mm wda Jmes i Gar By .v 6

m: nonms PzTERs co Puoruumou wnsnmown. n. c.

Patented Aug. 26, I902.

S. GREEK 81. J. H. GORE. FULD'NG CRATE.

(Application filed Dec. 30, 1901.

2 Sheets Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

17/ I74 IIV wr 7a m Mi A.

Vao mamm W36 Z a W WITNESSES- THE Norms Pawns co. vnuTauTuo. WASHINGTON,D. c.

(TATE-S rrnn i1. ATENT OFFICE:

FOLDINGCRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 707,919, dated August26, 1902.

Application filed December 30,1901. Serial No- 87,'775. (No model.)

To ail whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, SHERMAN GREEK and JAMES H. GORE, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and Stateof Nebraska, have invented new and useful Improvements in-FoldingCrates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to folding crates particularly adapted for usefor transporting fowls, though the features of-the invention embodied inthe crate may be likewise applied to crates for transporting otheranimals or commodities.

Great difficulty has been encountered in the use of crates as heretoforeconstructed for transporting fowls and the like in preventing injury andloss of'the fowls by rapid stacking or disposition ofthe crates in tiersby reason of the projection of the heads of the fowls through theslatted coverings of said crates and the consequent crushing of theheads when other crates were disposed thereon. It is obvious thatrailroad employees and others rapidly handling crates containing fowlsand the like exercise very little carein preventing injury to the fowls,and the loss to the shipper as well as to the consignee has beenmaterial.

It is the purpose of the present construction of crate to overcometliese disadvantages by forming the tops of the crates completely closedwith the exception of a door-opening which is closed by a door.

The invention also aims to provide a simple and efiective form of crateof the collapsible or knockdown character for convenience in returnshipments and avoid as much bulk as possible, and consequently areduction in the express charges or freightage, as well as makeitpossible to store a great many of the crates within a comparativelysmall space.

\Vith these and other objects in view the invention consists in theconstruction and arrangement ofthe several parts, which will be morefully hereinafter described and claimed. In the drawings, Figure 1 is aperspective view of a crate embodying the features of the invention.Fig. 2 is a detail perspective View of the collapsed crate. Fig. 3 is adetail perspective view of the collapsed crate in inverted position.Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section of the crate. Fig. 5 is atranscondition.

"one of the spring-catches.

verse vertical section of the crate in collapsed Fig. 6 is alongitudinal vertical section of the crate in collapsed position. Fig. 7is an enlarged detail sectional view of portions of the crate andmember, showing Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail sectional view of portionsof the crate, showing one of the improved catches as performing adifferent function from that shown by Fig. 7.

Similarnumerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

The numeral 1 designates the bottom of the crate, which is solidorimperforate and has cross-ribs 2 secured thereto to raisethe same fromdirect contact withthe surface onwhich the crate is disposed or when itis arranged on top of another crate for purposes which will be presentlyset forth. Across the end portions of the bottom 1 are upstanding rails3, to which are hinged the lower edges of slatted ends 4. Slatted sides5 are hinged at their lower edges directly to the side edge portions ofthe bottom 2, so that they'may be infolded one upon the other and theends then likewise turned inwardly over the folded sides to reduce thecrate in compact form,as clearly'shown by Figs. 5 and 6. The top 6 isalso imperforate exceptat the center, where a door-opening 7 is formedand normally closedby a hinged door 8, and through the said opening 7access may be had to the interior of the crate. At the centerof the sideedge portion of the door opposite to that to -which the hinges areattached a spring-actuated sliding catch 9 is secured and has a nose 10to engage under an angular keeper 11 on an adjacent portion of the top6. The top 6 is also formed with a surrounding rim 12, and to the innerportions of the sides of said rim spring-catches 13 are applied andprovided with headed operating-stems or pullrods 14, projecting throughopenings 15 in said rim sides. These catches are clearly shown by Figs.7 and 8 and consist ofresilient flat metal strips 16, secured at theirup per ends to the rim 12, the latter being cut away or beveledoutwardly, as at 17, at the points where the catches are located, sothat the lower inturned angular ends 13 of said catches maybe clearedfrom the parts of the crate with which they are placed in engagement.The top of the crate is also provided with upper cross-ribs 19, the saidribs being high enough from the upper surface of the top to preventcontact of another crate or other device that may bedisposed on the top6 with the catch 9, and the ribs 2 of the bottom 1, heretoforeexplained, assist in the clearance of the catch 9 when the two sets ofribs are brought into engagement with each other. The ribs 2 alsoelevate the crate from its resting-surface, and in the event that thecrate is disposed upon a moist or other injurious surface the bottom 1will be held out of contact with said surface and be protected in anobvious manner.

When the crate is set up for use, the ends 4 are turned up in verticalposition and the sides 5 then likewise disposed, the sides having theirend edges in con-tact with the inner opposing portions of the terminalsof the ends 4, and thereby hold the said ends against inward movement.The top 6is then applied over the upper edges of the sides and ends, andthe springcatches-16 are caught under the edges of the upper rails ofthe sides, as clearly indicated by Fig. 7, to hold the said top inlocked position. To prevent the sides from moving inwardly, the centerbars 20 thereof are projected upwardly above the upper edge of the upperrail or slat of said sides to removably enter corresponding slots 21 inthe center of the side portions of the top adjacent the rim, as clearlyshown by Fig. 1. When the parts are thus arranged, the crate will befirmly maintained in operative transporting condition and ready toreceive fowls, gamebirds, or the like, or, if used for transportinggeneral commodities, the door 9 can be correspondingly increased in sizeto render access to the crate more convenient. When the crate iscollapsed, the sides and ends are turned inwardly, as heretoforeexplained, and the top 6 is disposed over the folded parts, the lowerangular ends of the catches 16 being caused to engage the under side ofthe bottom 1, as clearly shown by Fig. 8. In this collapsed conditionthe crate is compact in form, and a number of crates can be supportedwithin a comparatively small space with less liability to breakage orinjury and with material advantage in the expense of return shipments.

' The improved crate will be found useful for many purposes other thanthose mentioned, and the same principle may apply to pack ing-boxes orlike devices in general, and in the formation of the slatted ends andsides no particular limitation is comprehended, as it is obvious thatthe same essential features can be embodied in a crate having sides andends of any slatted construction.

These crates will be preferably made of wood; but at times it may bedesirable to construct them of metal or a combination of metal and wood.

Having thus fully described the invention,

what is claimed as new is 1. A crate comprising a bottom, infoldingsides and ends secured to said bottom and slatted,the sides havingcentral bars projected at their free terminals beyond the width of saidsides, a top of imperforate construction having a surrounding rim andprovided with slots therein adjacent the opposite sides to removablyreceive the projected ends of the said bars, the top also havingacentral door-open ing supplied with a hinged closure,and spring catchessecured to the inner portions of the sides of the rim and provided withlower inturned angular ends to engage the upper rails of the sides ofthe crate or the under portion of the bottom.

2. A crate comprising a bottom, infolding slatted sides and ends hingedto said bottom,

the sides having central vertically-disposed bars which are extended attheir upper extremities, a top having a surrounding rim and raised ribson the upper surface adjacent the opposite ends extending transverselyof the top, the bottom also having similar transverse ribs near theopposite ends, and springcatches secured to the top and housed withinthe rim and adapted to engage under the lower edges of the uppermostslats of the sides or 5 the under portion of the bottom, the top alsohaving slots at the center near the opposite sides to removably receivethe projected ends of the bars.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

SHERMAN GREER. JAMES H. GORE. Witnesses:

SAMUEL B. IIAMs, MILLIOENT GREER.

